We report a case of ectopic thymus in the left submandibular area of a two-month-old boy. On US and CT scans, a well-marginated, 3 x 2cm-sized solid mass along the left carotid sheath, anteromedial to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and posterior to the submandibular gland, was seen. CT attenuation of the mass showed that it was similar to that of normal thymus in the anterior mediastinum. Although a rare disease, ectopic thymus should be included in the differential diagnosis of cervical masses along the carotid sheath in infants.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Rare Diseases ; Submandibular Gland ; Thymus Gland* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: A number of recent reports have described the usefullness of the epidural injection of narcotics for the relief of postoperative pain. Morphine, an micro-receptor agonist, produces strong analgesic effects with side effects. Nalbupine, a micro-antagonist and kappa-agonis, has an analgesic effect comparable to morphine with little side effects. The comparison of side effects and analgesic effects of epidural morphine alone and a combination of nalbuphine and droperidol respectively to morphine were sutudied in cesarean section patients. METHODS: We divided 45 patients into 3 groups utilizing a two-day Boxter infusor in normal saline 100 ml at 2.0 ml/hr: Group M (n = 15) initially a 1 mg bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine. Group M D (n = 15): initially received a 1 mg bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine 1.25 mg/day of maintenance droperidol. Group M N (n = 15): initially received a 1 mg morphine bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine 5 mg/day of maintenance nalbupine. The Analgesic effect was evaluated by a visual analogue scale (0 10) at 30 min, 4 hr, 12 hr and 24 hr postoperatively and the incidence of side effects was observed too. RESULTS: The average VAS scores are below 3 in all groups. In addition, there are no significant changes between groups. There are no significant differences in side effects between groups except sedation of patients is significantly (P< 0.05) high in group M D. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the analgesic effect of epidural morphine, morphine with nalbuphine and morphine with droperidol are good in all patients and there is no significant difference even though there is a belief that a combination of nalbuphine or droperidol increases analgesic effects of morphine. Comparing the incidence of side effects in the three groups, the sedative effect of morphine with droperidol is increased significantly over the other two groups.intubation.
Cesarean Section* ; Droperidol* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Incidence ; Infusion Pumps ; Injections, Epidural ; Morphine* ; Nalbuphine* ; Narcotics ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Vomiting

A survey of mosquitoes, including the vector status of Brugia malayi filariasis and their relative larval density, was conducted from 2002 to 2005 at several southern remote islands of Jeollanam-do (province), Gyeongsangnam-do, and Jeju-do, Korea, where filariasis was previously endemic. Overall, a total of 9 species belonging to 7 genera were collected. Ochlerotatus togoi (formerly known as Aedes togoi), Anopheles (Hyrcanus) group, and Culex pipiens were the predominant species captured at all areas. Oc. togoi larvae were most frequently collected at salinity levels <0.5% during June and July, with densities decreasing sharply during the rainy season in August. The most likely explanation for the eradication of filariasis in these areas is suggested to be an aggressive treatment program executed during the 1970s and the 1990s. However, high prevalence of the vector mosquitoes may constitute a potential risk for reemerging of brugian filariasis in these areas.
Animals ; Brugia malayi/parasitology ; Culicidae/*classification/growth & development/parasitology ; Humans ; Insect Vectors/*classification/growth & development/parasitology ; Population Density ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Seasons

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical significance of hyperechogenicity of the renal medulla and urinary bladder in normal neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 31 clinically normal neonates, including one post-term, 16 pre-term, and 14 full-term babies, in whom hyperechogenicity of the renal medulla or urinary bladder was seen on ini-tial sonograms. All neonates underwent sonography while aged between 1 and 21 (mean: 2.5)days. For 14, fol-low-up sonography was performed 2-20 (mean : 6.8) days later. Eighteen neonates also underwent urinalysis, and two underwent a bacteriologic examination. RESULTS: Initial sonograms revealed (hyperechogenicity in the renal medulla (n=28) and urinary bladder (n=12). Twenty-five neonates were aged less than one week, four were aged 1-2 weeks, and two were aged 2-3 weeks. Urinalysis showed that six neonates were erythrocyte-positive (+/-:1, +1:4, +4:1), two were protein-pos-itive (+/-:2), and the others were negative. In all cases the results of bacteriologic study were negative. Follow-up sonography revealed that the hyperechogencity of renal medulla had regressed (n=12) or decreased (2), and that of the urinary bladder had regressed (n=4). CONCLUSION: In clinically normal neonates, hyperechogenicity of the renal medulla and urinary bladder was mostly visualized within the first week of life, and on follow-up sonography was seen to have regressed or decreased.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Urinalysis ; Urinary Bladder*

Renal leiomyoma is an uncommon neoplasm. In 1947, Zuckerman and associates reported the first case of leiomyoma in a newborn infant. Herein, a case of renal leiomyoma is reported in a 23 years old woman, with a brief review of literature.
Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney* ; Leiomyoma* ; Young Adult

Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of surgical abdomen in children. Because of the various locations where you can find the appendix and the different presentation for the symptoms of appendicitis, the clinical diagnosis of appendicitis is often difficult in children, and radiologic diagnosis is becoming increasingly important. Being familiar with the findings of acute appendicitis on the MDCT axial image and the multiplanar reformation images may aid the physician in reaching an early diagnosis and so prevent complications and reduce negative appendectomy rates.
Abdomen ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans

The present study was undertaken to investigate the infection status of Cryptosporidium parvum in the villagers and the reservoir hosts in several rural areas in Korea. A total 5, 262 fecal samples were collected from the inhabitants residing at Gangwon-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do between the dates of September, 2001 to June, 2002. In addition, 1, 453 fecal samples were collected from livestock reared in Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do and Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. All the fecal smears were prepared by formalin-ether sedimentation, and examined by light microscopy after modified acid-fast staining. The overall positive rate of human cryptosporidiosis was 3.3%. Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do showed a 8.2% positive rate and appeared as the highest endemic area among the surveyed areas. Haman-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do showed a 0.4% positive rate and was the lowest endemic area. The positive rate of livestock infection in Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do was 94%, which was more than ten times higher than that of Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do (9.3%). From these results, it was revealed that cryptosporidiosis was an endemic disease in some rural areas of Korea, and the livestock could be an important source of human infection.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Animals ; Animals, Domestic/*parasitology ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cryptosporidiosis/*epidemiology/parasitology/veterinary ; Cryptosporidium parvum/*isolation & purification ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; Human ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasite Egg Count ; Prevalence ; *Rural Population ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/parasitology

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of CT for the diagnosis of the cause and localization of small bowel obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of a group of children who underwent a CT examination for a suspected small bowel obstruction, 19 patients with confirmed underlying disorders were identified and included in the study. Neonates and patients with duodenal obstruction were excluded from the study. The CT findings were analyzed for the location of obstruction site, abnormalities of the mesentery and mesenteric vessels, bowel wall thickening, closed loop obstruction, and strangulation. The obstruction site was divided into five parts. The preoperative CT diagnosis was compared with the final diagnosis. RESULTS: Causes of small bowel obstruction were intussusception (n = 6), appendiceal perforation (n = 4), transmesenteric internal hernia (n = 2), postoperative bands (n = 1), idiopathic multiple bands (n = 1), a foreign body (n = 1), a small bowel adenocarcinoma (n = 1), Meckel's diverticulitis (n = 1), tuberculous peritonitis (n= 1) and Salmonella enteritis with bowel perforation (n = 1). The CT findings showed mesenteric vascular prominence (n = 13), omental or mesenteric infiltration (n = 10), localized bowel wall thickening (n = 7), closed loops obstruction (n = 3) and strangulation (n = 1). The obstruction site was identified in all cases. The causes of obstruction could be diagnosed preoperatively in 14 cases, but a preoperative diagnosis was difficult in 5 cases. CONCLUSION: The causes of small bowel obstruction in children are variable, and CT is useful for evaluating the cause and localization of small bowel obstruction.
Adenocarcinoma ; Child* ; Diagnosis* ; Diverticulitis ; Duodenal Obstruction ; Enteritis ; Foreign Bodies ; Hernia ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestine, Small ; Intussusception ; Mesentery ; Peritonitis, Tuberculous ; Salmonella ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We investigated population densities of mosquitoes infected with sporozoites in three highly epidemic areas of Josan-ri and Jangpa-ri (Paju City) and Dongjung-ri (Yeoncheon County) in Korea. Anopheline mosquitoes were collected from both indoors and outdoors by human baiting collection method during the period of the first week of June to the second week of September 1999. Total 13,296 female mosquitoes were collected and 8,650 (65.1%) were Anophelines. Thirty seven percent (3,199) of the Anopheline mosquitoes were captured outdoors and 63.9% (5,531) indoors. Employing a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we analyzed a total of 7,820 Anopheline mosquitoes and found that 7 Anopheline mosquitoes were infected with sporozoites. The positive rate in Josan-ri was 0.14% (5/3,500) and 0.15% (2/1,370) in Jangpa-ri. The total positive rate in all three surveyed areas was 0.09% (7/7,820). The mosquitoes infected with the sporozoites were detected on June 28th (n=2), July 5th (n=1), July 19th (n=1), August 9th (n=1), September 6th (n=1), and the last one on September 13th (n=1). They were all classified as Anopheles sinensis, which showed positive reaction in ELISA test. Therefore it might be concluded that A. sinensis plays an important role in re-emerging malaria transmission in Korea.
Animals ; Culicidae/*parasitology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Human ; Korea/epidemiology ; Malaria, Vivax/epidemiology/parasitology/transmission ; Plasmodium vivax/*isolation & purification ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

In order to study the range of flight and feeding activity of Anopheles sinensis, the dispersal experiment was conducted in Paju city, located in the northern part of Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea, during the period of 7th to 28th September 1998. Unfed females An. sinensis were collected in cowshed and released after being marked with fluorescent dye at 23:00 hours on the same day. Released female mosquitoes were recaptured everyday during 21 days using light traps, which were set at 10 sites in the cowsheds located 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 km north-northwest and north-northeast and at 3 sites located 1, 6 and 9 km toward south-west from the release point. In addition, to study the longest flight distance in one night, we set the light traps at 16 and 20 km toward north-northeast from the release site. All the collected mosquitoes were placed on filter papers and observed on UV transilluminator after treatment with one drop of 100% ethanol. Out of 12,773 females of An. sinensis released, 194 marked females mosquitoes were recaptured, giving 1.52% recapture rate. Of 194, 72 mosquitoes (37.1%) were recaptured in light traps from three places set at 1 km from the release point, 57 mosquitoes (29.4%) from two places at 1-3 km, 41 mosquitoes (21.1%) from three places at 3-6 km, 20 mosquitoes (10.3%) from three places at 6-9 km, and 4 mosquitoes (2.1%) from two places at 9-12 km. Since 170 female mosquitoes (87.6%) out of 194 marked mosquitoes were captured within 6 km from the release point, this flight radius represents the main activity area. An sinensis was found to be able to fly at least 12 km during one night.
Animals ; Anopheles/*physiology ; Entomology/methods ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; *Flight, Animal ; Fluorescent Dyes ; Korea ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Time Factors